Promises to You
by MySilentVoice
Summary: Mikan Sakura, a rich girl from a wealthy family has everything she wants. Everything except excitement in her life. But maybe, that's going to change. Especially when she finds a handsome boy injured in the playground and decides to take him home! But who is he exactly?
1. Chapter 1

**Promises to you**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.**

**...  
**

"If you don't hurry up, I will leave without you."

Mikan paused in the midst of her frantic search at the sound of the voice. Turning around, her face lit up with joy as her eyes landed on the figure leaning against the doorway. "Hotaru, thank goodness you're here." she smiled.

Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "Are you done with whatever stupid things you do in the morning?"

"No," Mikan sighed. "I can't find my hair ribbons. I've been looking for them all morning."

"I see."

Mikan looked at Hotaru expectantly, who had taken out a peach and was munching on it. She cast her eyes about Mikan's bedroom, taking in the huge mess she made. Mikan's queen-sized bed was not made and had several bits of clothing lying all over it. The floor was littered with books, stuffed toys and more clothes. Mikan was rummaging through a drawer, carelessly tossing her belongings over her shoulder.

"Can we go now?" she asked, in between bites. "I'm not a very patient person."

Mikan groaned in exasperation. "Hotaru," she whined. "You're my best friend. Help me find my ribbons?"

Hotaru whipped her mouth with a napkin. "Just because I'm your friend doesn't mean I have to help you."

Hotaru looked up and examined Mikan's disappointed face. She sighed and entered the room, crossing over to where Mikan stood. She dragged her to sit at the vanity table and picked up a hairbrush, quickly running it through Mikan's golden brown locks.

"You don't need your ribbons. They make you look uglier than you really are." she said, meeting Mikan's eyes in the mirror. Mikan grinned, knowing that it was a compliment coming from her. She sighed.

"I wish I was as pretty as you, Hotaru." Mikan said wistfully. She looked into the mirror and focused on the girl standing behind her. Hotaru was truly beautiful, she was fair-skinned and her hair was a soft shade of coal black that ended just below her ears. And her eyes…her eyes were the most beautiful things Mikan had ever seen. They were a beautiful shade of violet and simply mysterious. In short, she was prettier than any renown model. Mikan didn't dwell on it very much, but she knew she was no where as pretty nor elegant as her best friend.

Hotaru studied Mikan's reflection. The girl had a distant look in her eyes, lost in her thoughts. She shook her head at Mikan's words. She knew she herself was good-looking, but she did not bother enhancing her beauty nor flaunt it. She liked it simple. She looked at Mikan once more. The girl was beautiful herself, she just didn't see it. Her hair was like a waterfall of gold and caramel, framing her face perfectly. Her skin was a nice shade of ivory, and was simply flawless. Her eyes just added to her already pretty face. They were hazel brown, and were so bright and innocent. Hotaru hoped her eyes would always be that way, so full of joy and life. She smiled softly, setting the brush down on the table. "You see," she murmured into Mikan's ear. "You too, can be beautiful."

Mikan was shocked and overjoyed to see Hotaru's smile and hear her words. She wanted to ask her to repeat it, but the scowl forming on the girls face changed her mind. Hotaru was looking at her watch.

"We need to leave now. We're going to be late." she said, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

Mikan nodded and quickly grabbed her bag. She ran out of her room, slamming the door behind her. She quickly descended the huge marble steps, greeting the maids with a smile as she passed. Hotaru was already at the door collecting her bag from the door man when she finally caught up to her.

"This house is too big." she panted, nodding at the doorman as they walked through the large doors of her mansion.

"Blame your rich family." Hotaru said, as they walked through the courtyard.

Mikan sighed. "But you're rich too."

"And I'm not complaining. I like being rich."

Mikan laughed at her friend's love for money. Hotaru was no money obsessed freak, okay, maybe a little. She would take whatever means to get her hands on money, even though her family was terribly rich. But that's what made her Hotaru. She wouldn't be the same without her passion for money.

As they stepped out of the gates to Mikan's mansion, the driver that stood beside their limo bowed his head in respect. He then proceeded to open the car door. Mikan and Hotaru entered the car and made themselves comfortable on the plush leather seats.

"We'll be going to Sumire's house first," Hotaru told Mikan as the car began to move. "Anna and Nonoko stayed over at her house last night, so we can pick them all up together."

Mikan nodded, reaching for the mini fridge beside her. She pulled out a bottle of fresh orange juice and finished the contents within a few gulps.

"That's going to cost you." Hotaru said, sipping from a bottle of water.

...

"I have a terrible headache." Sumire groaned, throwing her head back against the seat.

Mikan looked at her with concern. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"My father," she said, rubbing her temples. "He's been making me study the statistics of his company. Says it's to prepare me for when I inherit it."

Hotaru, who was eating finger sandwiches, stopped in mid-bite. "So?"

"So?" Sumire through her hands in the air, exasperated. "I'm only fifteen!"

Hotaru chewed on her food thoughtfully. "I started contributing to my father's industry when I was twelve. I'm now responsible for thirty percent of our funds. Which is quite a few millions."

"Not everyone is a freaking genius like you, Imai." Sumire sighed. "Since I'm not planning on being as helpful as you are at this age, I just want to relax and have fun. Sadly, my freedom is being taken away."

Mikan patted her back. "Don't worry, permy. We can help you have all the fun you want."

Sumire scowled. "Don't call me that."

"Call you what, permy?"

"Nevermind," Sumire muttered. " Are we there yet?"

"Soon." smiled Anna, who was sitting beside her.

Nonoko looked out the car window. "We're turning in now."

"Finally." Sumire said, adjusting her hair and smoothing out her uniform. She turned to Anna and Nonoko. "Both your parents' companies are in partnership, right? Are you guys helping out already?"

Anna shook her head. "My father says I'm not ready. But I'm working hard so maybe I can contribute something by the end of the year."

"I've already gotten started. But I'm taking it slow so Anna can keep up with me." Nonoko said.

The car doors on both sides opened simultaneously and the two drivers moved aside as the girls alighted. They thanked the drivers and regrouped in the foyer. Several students greeted them as they passed by, knowing the girls' families owned some on the most influential companies in the world. Then again, those students themselves came from rich families, and that was why they were allowed to enter the most elite and prestigious school in all of Japan, Alice Academy.

"Let's go," said Hotaru. "There's a new student coming today and I'm going to make him a victim of blackmail."

Mikan frowned, running to catch up with her friend. "Hotaru, you shouldn't harm the poor guy."

"I'm not going to harm him. I'm just saying that he'll make me a lot of money."

"Still," Sumire said. "What if he sues you or something?"

Hotaru snorted. "Ruka Nogi? Sue me? Only when hell freezes over."

"Nogi?" Mikan asked. "I think my father has dealings with his company."

"Same for me," Hotaru said, as the group mounted the staircase. "I've met him before actually. Nogi's son. He easily became a victim of my blackmail."

"Is he cute?" Sumire asked.

"Not to me. But by your standards, yes. He's half french too."

Sumire licked her lips. "Make sure you introduce me, Imai."

Hotaru glanced at her. "Not if you're planning to eat him. I'm not supportive of cannibalism."

...

Mikan slumped against her desk, sighing. School had just ended and students were eagerly filing out the door. It was Friday, and they were looking forward to the weekend. Mikan didn't have anything to be excited about though. It was just so boring these days. She wished something interesting would happen.

"Mikan." Hotaru said, poking the girl's head. "I need to go now. I have attend a meeting in place of my mother. Could you go home yourself?"

Mikan stood up, smiling at her friend. "Sure, Hotaru. I'll call my car."

Nodding, Hotaru picked up her bag and headed for the door. "Don't do anything stupid and get into trouble." And with that, she was gone.

Sighing, Mikan pulled her phone out of her bag and dialed. As soon as she asked for a car from her home to come, she hung up and went out the door.

When she arrived at the foyer, she sat down on a bench, waiting for her ride. As she waited, a boy with blonde hair and ocean blue eyes approached her.

"Um, you're from my class right? Sakura-san, was it?" he asked shyly.

Mikan smiled, recognizing the boy. "Yes, I am. You're the transfer student, Ruka Nogi, right?"

Ruka nodded. "Mind if I sit here?"

Mikan mumbled assent but her eyes were focused somewhere else. More specifically, the rabbit Ruka held in his arms.

"So cute," she squealed. "Is this your pet rabbit?"

Ruka smiled, nodding. "This is bunny. Do you want to pet him?"

Mikan gasped. "Can I?"

"Go ahead." Ruka said.

Mikan stroked the rabbit's back gently, running her fingers through it's soft, white fur. Ruka chuckled.

"Is this your first time petting a rabbit?" he asked.

Mikan blushed slightly. "Um, yeah. I've never been near many animals actually. How come you bring him to school?"

Ruka shrugged. "Just to keep myself company. I like animals."

The two had a friendly chat about animals for awhile, when Mikan saw her car stopping in front of the foyer.

"My car's here," Mikan said, standing up. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Ruka smiled. "Yeah. Bye, Sakura."

Mikan jogged to her car, waving back at him. "Bye Ruka-pyon!" she called.

Ruka blinked. Ruka-pyon?

"Could you drop me off here?" Mikan asked her driver as they drove towards the park.

"Are you sure, Mikan-sama?" The driver asked. "We're almost home."

Mikan shook her head. "I'll walk home. You can go first."

Nodding, the driver stopped the car beside the park, quickly getting out to open the door for Mikan.

"Take care, Mikan-sama." said the driver as he entered his car, driving off.

Mikan entered the park, taking in the beautiful scenery around her. She often came to this park as a child. Sometimes she would have picnics with her friends there. She walked around for a bit, before stopping before a small playground. She remembered how she played there when she was younger. The memories that came over her reminded her of the fun and childish excitement she felt while swinging on the swings, climbing up the ladders, and crawling through the tunnels. She longed to be a child once more.

Maybe just a little, just a little fun won't hurt. She thought to herself as she approached the big blue tunnel she remembered hiding in when she was six. Crouching low, she crawled into the blue tube and continued, enjoying the way the tunnel curved and twisted. As she neared the center of the tunnel, she heard a thumping sound. She stopped in her tracks, listening carefully. She could just map out the sound of someone breathing. The person's breathing appeared to be ragged and heavy. Is someone else in here? She wondered as she resumed crawling. As she approached the next turn in the tunnel, Mikan spotted a few drops of blood before her. What on earth? Taking care not to touch it, she crawled to the left and gasped in shock.

There was a teenage boy lying in front of her. His face was covered with several bruises and gashes and he was panting heavily. The boy noticed her staring and glared at her. Mikan quickly recovered from the shock and crawled towards the boy. He glared harder as she came nearer but she swallowed her fear and continued.

"Are you alright?" she asked him, taking out a handkerchief. She gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The boy scowled, but his glare softened. "Obviously not."

As Mikan wiped his face of all the blood and sweat, she realized the boy was very, very handsome. His hair was messy and blacker than the night. Beneath the bruises and wounds, Mikan could see that he was in good shape and quite fair-skinned as well. As she studied his face, his eyes met hers and she let out a gasp. His eyes were a dark shade of crimson red. They were devoid of emotion, but Mikan could see how beautiful they were. Like rubies gleaming in the sun.

"Stop staring at me."

Mikan snapped out of her little daze, remembering the injured boy. "Um, sorry." she said, brushing his bangs out of his face. The boy tensed at her touch but did not move. As Mikan's fingers grazed his forehead, she realized it was burning with fever.

"What the–your skin is so hot." Mikan pressed her palm against his neck. "You're having a very high fever. I'm taking you home."

She tried to grab the boy's shoulders but he slapped her hands away. "Go away," he growled. "I don't need your help."

Mikan was starting to get irritated with the boy. "Are you stupid? You're injured and sick and you want me to leave you alone? No way, you're coming with me."

By the time they got out of the tunnel, Mikan was exhausted. She had managed to drag the boy out of the tunnel but he still refused to go with her. They struggled for a long time before the boy collapsed in her arms. He was still conscious, but in a worse state than ever.

"L-let go of me." the boy said in between pants as Mikan half carried, half dragged him out of the park.

"No, you idiot. I'm going to bring you home, if it's the last thing I do." Mikan said, pulling his arm over her shoulder.

The boy groaned. "Leave me alone, moron. I'm not some stray cat you can just take home."

"I don't care if you're a cat or human," Mikan huffed. "You could be a murderer for all I care but I'm not leaving you behind."

The boy stiffened at the word, 'murderer'. Summoning all of his last strength, he snaked his arms around Mikan's waist and pushed her to the ground. They landed in a heap on the sidewalk, both of them cussing away.

"Damn it, what the heck are you doing?" Mikan said, her voice loud and shrill.

"Shut up, little girl," the boy said. he had landed on top of her and was caging her in his arms. His legs trapped hers between his. He lowered his head and mumbled into her ear. "Are you really sure you want to bring me home? I could really be a murderer for all you know. Or maybe a rapist."

Mikan shivered as he blew into her ear gently. "I–I already said I don't care. You're coming with me."

"Oh really," the boy was nuzzling her neck. He pressed his lips to her shoulder, running his tongue over her flesh. "If you do that, you might end up in a lot of trouble."

Mikan winced as she felt the boy bite her neck. Not too gently either. She watched as he raised his head to look into her eyes. Mikan could see the threatening look in his eyes and she nearly whimpered in fright. But she took a closer look and peeled away his mask of indifference. Behind it, she saw anger, burning bright with fiery rage. However, there was sadness too. So, so much pain and sadness. The intensity of his hurt penetrated her soul and her heart went out to him. This much sadness, no one his age should feel. Mikan thought, as a tear slid down her cheek.

With trembling hands, she reached out and embraced him, pulling his head towards her. The boy had an astonished look on his face. He wanted to pull back and run away, but he had no more strength left. Being in Mikan's arms, he felt a wave of calm and serenity wash over him. She ran his fingers through his hair, whispering comforting words into his ear. Words he never heard at all in his whole life, words that dug right into his heart and banished away his feelings of loneliness.

"It's alright," she said. "I'll let nobody hurt you."

Mikan felt the boy go limp in her arms, and she knew he had passed out. Still lying on her back, she gazed at the sky, which was glowing with the beautiful colors of sunset. She felt something wet on her neck, but she knew those tears weren't hers.

"Nobody will hurt you," she repeated, even though she knew the boy couldn't hear her. She tightened her arms around the boy, breathing in his scent.

"I promise."

...

**I'm done! And tired…But I had a lot of fun writing this! I'm definitely writing another chapter. It'll probably be up in less than a week. If you have any suggestions or questions, do tell me. And if you liked this story, I would be so happy if you could just review this. Even if all you say is: 'Good job.', or 'I hate this.' I would be so happy to read it!**

**Goodbye for now~**

**MySilentVoice**


	2. Chapter 2

**Promises to You**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.**

**Hello world! Okayyy, that was random. But I'd still like to greet all you nice people for even bothering to read these words or this story. Whichever. Though I doubt that makes me nice since I don't ever read what any fellow author writes before or after their fanfictions. Guilty as charged… Ah, heck. Let's quit this meaningless babble and head straight to the point. Which is below…. You know, it's not exactly a point if it's an entire story…or is it? Hm…Anyway! Id like to thank all those who have reviewed so far! Especially if you had to go out of your way to log in and review this. Yes, I'm, talking to you MissTechnicality! But thanks~**

…

"So…you found this boy, who was half dead, in a playground, while climbing through a tunnel, and you decided to bring him home?"

Mikan scratched her head and nodded sheepishly. "Uh…yeah?"

Hotaru shook her head, a stern look on her face. "Mikan, I can't believe you…"

"I'm sorry Hotaru," Mikan said, a little afraid of her best friend. "I know it was reckless, and I could have been hurt, and you would worry a lot…But I couldn't just leave him there all alone."

Hotaru scoffed. "Who said I was worried about you? Do you know what upset me the most?"

"That the boy sort of raped me?"

"What?"

Mikan slapped a hand over her mouth. She shouldn't have mentioned that. "No, no. Continue, Hotaru."

Hotaru narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What upset me the most was that you didn't find any coins and collect them for me while you were in that tunnel. Instead of money, you brought a boy. A boy, Mikan. Couldn't you have found a million dollars or something instead?"

Mikan's jaw dropped. Her cruel friend didn't care about her. It was too depressing…Then again, it happened everyday, so never mind! Hotaru would always be her best friend. Even if she once almost traded Mikan for a couple of bucks. Mikan smiled happily to herself while Hotaru stared at her idiotic friend's face as it morphed into five different expressions within a couple of seconds. She sighed and focused on the boy who was lying on the bed, sleeping.

"So what's his name?" she asked, crossing over to where the boy lay.

"I don't know. I forgot to ask him." Mikan followed behind her, sitting herself on a chair beside the bed.

"Hm," Hotaru studied his face. "To any moronic girl, he would be considered handsome."

"Are you saying I'm moronic?" Mikan crossed her arms over her chest.

Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "So you think he's handsome?"

Mikan blushed, she shook her head furiously. "No, I didn't say that! What–whatever gave you that idea?"

Hotaru simply said, "Idiot."

"You're so mean, Hotaru."

Hotaru ignored her and yawned. It was near midnight and yet she wasn't in bed. All thanks to the idiot who called her an hour ago, claiming that she was in an emergency. Deciding that she felt a little concerned about Mikan, she rushed over to her house to find the girl pacing around the guest room, whilst an unknown boy lay in the bed. She knew Mikan was stupid, but seriously. That girl would need to go to the doctor soon. Hotaru was starting to believe that her friend's stupidity was too much to not be some sort of disease.

"Ah, Hotaru," Mikan called, as her friend walked towards the door. "Are you leaving already?"

"Obviously. It's late and I'm too tired to put up with your nonsense." Hotaru replied.

"But, but Hotaru," Mikan whined, latching onto her friend's arm. "What am I going to do when he wakes up?"

"Kick him out of your house with a loaf of bread."

"I can't do that, it's too cruel!" Mikan cried.

Hotaru shrugged. "You could butter the bread for him. Isn't that good enough?"

"No!"

"Then go sort this out yourself." Hotaru shook Mikan off her arm and opened the door. She turned back to look at the hopeless girl. "Be careful Mikan," she smirked. "That boy could be a rapist for all you know."

And with that she shut the door behind her, leaving Mikan alone with the boy who was maybe a rapist. It took all of Mikan's control not to cry out in frustration. She was a little afraid of the boy, but she knew she couldn't leave him alone. Making a hasty decision, she ran into her room and hurried into her walk-in-closet. She rummaged through the clothing racks and drawers before finally emerging in the strangest get-up. Mikan was wearing a huge trench coat around herself along a matching scarf and hat. It wasn't even the winter season.

She twirled before the multiple mirrors outside her closet and nodded in satisfaction. Then she quickly went back to the guest room where the strange boy was resting.

Mikan sighed as she approached the bed. She was quite tired but she wanted to watch the boy. I mean, what if he woke up while she had dozed off? He would probably take advantage of her. Then again, she was wearing a trench coat to protect herself. Mikan stood beside the bed and frowned, hands on her hips. Who was she kidding? The boy could take advantage of her even if she wore five jackets at once! Mikan slapped her forehead. Dressing up like a wannabe Sherlock Holmes was so not going to protect her. Perhaps Hotaru was right, she was an idiot.

Frustrated, Mikan took off of scarf and hat, tossing them over her shoulder. She ripped off the coat and kicked it away from her.

"That's better." she muttered to herself, smoothing out the silk night dress she pulled on earlier. It was a shimmering, light pink material and Mikan absolutely adored it. Simple and sweet, it ended just below her knees.

"Are you going to try seducing me in that? It won't work, you know."

Mikan froze at the sound of the voice. Plastering a very fake, sweet smile on her face, she turned around and faced the bed. The boy was leaning against the headboard, his eyes roamed her body lazily.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Mikan asked, her voice as sweet as honey and as fake as her smile.

"I don't like repeating my words." The boy said, running a hand through his hair.

Mikan's eye twitched. "Well, I believe you asked if I was going to seduce you, and my only answer to that is," Mikan paused."Why the hell would I do that?" she shrieked.

"Because you suddenly started stripping in front of me. Don't worry though, you're not the first."

Scowling, Mikan dragged a chair over to the bed and sat herself on it. She pointed a finger at the boy. "First of all, I was not seducing you. Never was, never will."

The boy shook his head. "Little girl, did you know lying is bad?"

"I wasn't lying! And I'm probably the same age as you." Mikan retorted.

"Keep telling yourself that, kid."

Mikan groaned. Dealing with this boy was so exasperating. She leaned forward and put on the sternest face she could. "Whatever. I'm not going to argue with you. I need to know a few things first. Like…what's your name?"

"And I should tell you because…?"

"Because I broke my back dragging you home with me, so hurry up and answer!" Mikan snapped.

The boy raised his eyebrows. They were strangely short. "So you're not a kid but an old lady? That explains your annoying voice."

Mikan punched the bed with her fist. Sadly, it landed nowhere near him. "I'm not a kid or an old grandma, you dope! I'm only fifteen!"

"Hn."

"Don't 'Hn.' me! tell me your name."

The boy stared at her for awhile. "My name is Einstein."

Mikan suddenly pitied the boy for having such an odd name. "Okay, where are you from?"

"The North Pole."

"I see," Mikan nodded. "So how old are you?"

For some odd reason, Einstein was looking at her as if she was an idiot. " I'm turning one hundred this year."

Mikan nodded some more. "Okay, so you're–wait. Are you joking with me? You're obviously a teenager."

"And I thought you'd actually believed that."

"You–you answered all my questions wrongly, did you?" Mikan gasped.

"Took you long enough to figure that out." Einstein, or, the boy, replied.

"You just said it was bad to lie!" Mikan narrowed her eyes.

"Doesn't mean I actually follow that rule."

Mikan began banging her head against the bed. The boy ignored her and scanned his surroundings. He appeared to be in a very large room. It had a soft carpeted floor and a huge floor to ceiling window. There was a small sitting area on the other side of the room, with small leather couches and a huge flat screen television. A beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling. In short, the room was screaming extravagance. The beautiful interior did nothing to impress the boy though, if anything, it made him unhappier.

"You," the boy returned his attention to Mikan. "What is your family's last name?"

Mikan ceased bashing her head against the mattress and looked up. "Um, it's Sakura. Why?"

The boy furrowed his eyebrows. "Sakura. One of the top richest and most successful families in all of Japan. They own several different companies all over the world as well as The Sakura Industries, an industry that is so influential, and has enough stock to topple the government. Are you referring to that Sakura?"

Mikan was surprised by the boy's wealth of knowledge. "Yes. My family owns Sakura Industries. How on earth do you know all this?

The boy stopped listening after she said, 'yes'. He had a frustrated look on his face. He cursed softly. "Damn it. Of all families it has to be this one."

Mikan felt a little insulted. "What do you mean by that?"

Waving away her question, he asked. "Are you the daughter of Izumi Yukihara?"

"Yes. How the heck do you–"

"Crap. I can't believe this. I'm out of here." The boy flung the duvet covering him to the floor, rising from the bed.

"Wait, you can't move yet. You're still hurt." Mikan quickly pushed him back onto the bed.

"I don't care. I have to get out of here." Pushing her away roughly, the boy got up again and made for the door.

Before he could even turn the doorknob, he felt a pair of arms embrace him from behind. It was Mikan.

"You can't leave. You're still sick and your wounds haven't healed. I don't know what problems you have with my family, but I know if I let you go out on your own you'll be in bigger trouble. Please understand." Mikan said, her voice desperate. She did not know why, but she felt that this boy was too fragile, if she let him go, he would break. Besides, she promised…

The boy didn't say anything. Mikan continued. "Remember when I found you? I told you I'd help you. I'm just guessing, but you seem really lonely." she paused. "You know, one thing that I fear most is being alone. It's…such a sad feeling."

Mikan tightened her hold on the boy. "You are alone. I can tell, your eyes show how much sadness you've experienced in your whole life. Even if you're an annoying, perverted, bastard, you definitely don't deserve this. You don't."

The boy sighed. When he spoke, his voice was small, tired. Like a child that had gone through too much in such little time. "Why are you so intent on helping me? How do you know I won't harm you in anyway?"

Mikan smiled. "It's all in your eyes. I can see how you try to hide your feelings, but still. In a way, you are still a child, you are young. There's only so much you can bear. And I know that I can trust you. I believe in you. With all my heart."

She let go of the boy and sandwiched herself between him and the door so she could see him. They locked their eyes on each others. "I told you I won't let anyone hurt you, right?" she whispered. "I promised you that."

For the second time that day, a tear trailed down his cheek. Mikan smiled gently. She raised a hand, and wiped the tear away. "See that?" she asked, cupping his cheek. "I want to help you, even if all I can do is to wipe your tears."

She took his hand in hers. "Maybe one day, I'll be able to stop those tears from flowing ever again. Maybe I can help you to smile. You don't look as if you've ever smiled."

The boy stared at the floor. "Natsume." he said, his voice soft like a child's.

Mikan cocked her head. "Natsume?"

"My name. It's Natsume."

Mikan grinned. It was a start. She knew his name now. Slowly, he was slowly opening up to her. She laughed softly. Her laugh sounded like a thousand bells ringing gently. It was beautiful.

"Natsume?" she said, gripping his hand tightly. He met her eyes.

"Let's go to sleep now. It's late." she pulled him over to the bed. Mikan climbed into it, shifting so Natsume would have some space. He slid in beside her.

"I don't usually sleep with boys, but just this once, I will. For you. You better not harass me in your sleep." Mikan warned as she pulled the duvet over their bodies.

Natsume snorted. "Don't worry. You're too ugly."

Mikan was about to retort, but she stopped herself. Instead, she closed her eyes and sighed with content. "Good night, Natsume."

"Hn." came the reply. Mikan rolled her eyes at this. It would be some time before Natsume would fully warm up to her. But tonight, she had taken a fairly big step. A step closer to his heart.

As her thoughts faded and her drowsiness lulled her to sleep, Mikan felt something, an arm, maybe. It held her tightly around the waist, never letting go, as if she was a precious gem. She entered dreamland, a small smile on her face.

...

"Natsume, could you pass me the pepper please?"

Natsume looked up from his bacon, and met Mikan's eyes. She was pointing to the tiny glass bottle beside his plate. "No." Was his reply.

Scowling, Mikan reached across and grabbed the shaker. As she shook the contents onto her omelette, she studied Natsume as he ate.

They were having a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs, courtesy of the chefs. They sat opposite each other on a long dining table. At first, Mikan was worried that Natsume would have problems handling the utensils. She knew it wasn't very common to have forks, spoons and knives of varying sizes every meal, but coming from a rich family, she was taught how to eat properly and elegantly. However, Natsume had no problems with his table etiquette. He effortlessly ate his meal without mess, knowing when to use what spoon or how to hold his glass properly. The only thing he lacked was manners.

Natsume was taking small sips from his glass. He saw Mikan staring at him, pepper shaker still in hand. There was a small mountain of ground pepper on her omelette.

"Are you especially fond of spicy stuff?" he asked her.

Mikan was surprised by the question. "Not really, why?"

He nodded to her plate. Mikan followed his gaze and shrieked. Her delicious omelette was covered completely in pepper. A server hurried forward.

"Mikan-sama, would you like a new omelette? The chef is already on it." he said, picking up her plate before Mikan could protest. He took the plate away, and within a few seconds, another server appeared, a new omelette in hand.

"Um, thank you." Mikan said, as the server set her plate down. Sighing, she picked up the pepper shaker and carefully peppered her meal.

"You're pretty spoiled, aren't you?" Natsume asked. He busied himself with buttering a slice of bread.

"That's an insult," Mikan frowned. "Hey, you seem pretty used to all this. Do you come from a wealthy family too?"

"No."

"But–"

Natsume set his butter knife down with a clang, making Mikan wince. He glared at her from across the table. "Don't ever question my background."

Mikan nodded timidly, and resumed eating. They finished their breakfast in silence.

…

Mikan was circling Natsume, shaking her head. "This won't do. You can't wear your old clothes."

"Your maids already washed them. Their fine." Natsume answered, feeling annoyed with her.

"Yeah, but they have rips and tears. There's even a blood stain." Mikan said. "Nope, we're going to shop for some new clothes."

"What the hell? I don't want to change clothes." Natsume growled.

Mikan took her handphone out of her pocket. She began typing into it. "No can do, Natsume. I'm going to call a few friends over. We'll go to the mall together."

Natsume frowned. "No way. I am not going out with you and your stuck-up friends. It's going to be more annoying than hell."

"Don't say that about my friends. They are anything but stuck up."

"Whatever. I'm still not going." Natsume wandered over to the living room and sat himself on the couch. Mikan followed him and sat down as well.

"Natsume," she sighed. "Do you have any friends?"

Natsume was looking grouchier by the second. "I had one. But not anymore."

Mikan's heart went out to him. The poor guy, he was so lonely he didn't have any friends. She smiled cheerfully at him. "I'm your friend now, " she pointed to herself. "Now you can't say you don't have any."

Natsume scoffed. "I don't friend idiots."

"You're just going to have to adapt then." Mikan said, typing into her phone again. "I'll get some guy friends of mine to join us as well. They're really nice."

Natsume didn't say anything. He appeared to be sulking. Mikan looked up from her phone and saw his unhappy face. He looked like a sulking child! It was surprisingly cute. She patted his head and stood up.

"I'm going to get dressed," she told him. "My friends will be here soon."

With that, she left Natsume to himself. He sighed and picked up the remote control on the coffee table.

…

Natsume was randomly surfing channels when two girls entered the room. He looked up, wondering who the were. The one who wasn't ogling him sat herself on another couch and stared at him. Her face had zero expression and she seemed to be studying Natsume as if he was a complicated blueprint.

"You are the boy Mikan brought in last night right?" she asked.

Natsume gave her a curt nod.

"My name is Hotaru Imai," the girl said. She gestured to the girl with her. "This is Sumire Shouda."

Sumire grinned at him slyly and winked. Natsume decided he didn't like her. He returned his attention to the television. Hotaru, who a bit irritated at being ignored, got up and blocked his view of the screen with her body. He scowled at her, giving her a menacing glare. Hotaru returned the glare without so much as a blink of an eye. The two stayed like that for some time, neither one backing down the slightest bit. Finally, Sumire cleared her throat, uncomfortable with the tense atmosphere.

"So, what's your name?" Sumire asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

Natsume didn't even look at her. Ignoring the question completely, he picked up a magazine from the coffee table. Sumire looked at Hotaru, silently begging her to say something.

Hotaru couldn't be bothered to do anything though. She sat herself on a leather armchair and popped a mint into her mouth. The awkward silence was interrupted when two boys joined them. One was blonde-haired with blue eyes, the other had brown eyes and spiky light brown hair.

Sumire perked up at the sight of them. "Ruka-kun! I'm so glad you could come."

"How about me? Are you glad I came?" The brown haired one asked. For some reason, he was smiling. And it didn't look like that grin was going away anytime soon.

"On the contrary, I'm not," Sumire sniffed. "What are you doing here anyway, Koko?

Koko plopped himself down on the couch beside Sumire. "Mikan called. She said she wants us to meet a friend of hers." His eyes landed on Natsume. "Is that him?"

"Yes, but, he won't tell us his name." Sumire glanced at Natsume uncertainly.

"Hey, Ruka," Koko said, calling the boy to attention. He seemed to be studying Natsume intently. "Go make friends with him."

"Uh, sure." Ruka sat himself beside Natsume. Natsume paused in the middle of reading his magazine. He met Ruka's eyes and it was all both of them could do not to gasp out loud.

Ruka's voice was low when he spoke. "You're–"

Natsume shushed him quickly. He threw Ruka a meaningful look. The two of them seemed to be conversing with their eyes. Finally, Ruka coughed. He smiled at Natsume and extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ruka Nogi. What's your name?" he asked.

Natsume stared at the hand for awhile. Slowly, he reached his hand out. The two boys shook hands.

"Natsume." Natume said, eyeing Ruka carefully. "Have you ever been called Lu-chan?"

Ruka blushed slightly. He looked taken aback. "Yes, I have. When I was younger."

Natsume nodded slowly. "I see. It's nice to meet you…Ruka."

Ruka leaned back, a nostalgic look on his face. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Yeah," he said. "It's good to see you again, Natsume."

...

**Done! Oh my gosh it's sooo hot here. If this chapter was bad, I'm so sorry. The weather is damaging my brain. But what's done is done! Aaand, I'd like to thank all those who've reviewed so far! Your reviews were pretty much the only thing that kept me sitting still while I did this. I hope you like this chapter!**

**If you have any questions or suggestions do tell me! I want to improve this story as much as I can and cater it to everyone's tastes. So work with me kay?**

**Till next time,**

**MySilentVoice**


	3. Chapter 3

**Promises to You**

**Chapter 3**

***Yawn* Now where was I? Oh yeah. To all those who are reading this…THANK YOU for being here. Do I sound desperate? I wonder. Anyway, as I'm writing this, I have to confess, I have no idea what I will be writing below later. My brain just refuses to come up with a good idea for this chapter. Doesn't make sense to write a chapter without a single idea of what to do, right? I wonder if I'm the only one with this issue…**

**Anyway, like MissTechnicality or Ash(I'not sure which you prefer to be called) anyway, she said, all we need is DETERMINATION. And COOKIES. So I have the determination, but no cookies. No idea how to begin this story either. Damn.**

**Er, the last point. Thank you to all those who have put this story on alert. And I especially want to thank my reviewers. In fact, the only reason I'm here, typing without and idea how to start this chapter is because of those reviews. You guys have no idea how reviews can force you to turn on the computer and wear out your fingers and mind. So, in short, Thank You so much. Even if you haven't reviewed or anything, I absolutely love you for even being here to read this.**

**Alright! Enough stalling! Time to put my brain to good use. See you guys again at the end of this chapter. Adios!**

…

"Natsume!" shouted Mikan. "I found you a really nice shirt. It has stripes!"

"What the hell…" Natsume muttered. The idiotic girl was shouting at him from all the way across the store. And yelling about some stupid shirt. It didn't help that she was now describing his physical appearance.

"Natsume!" she called. "Guy with black hair and red eyes! Hey, what do you think? This shirt is pink and green. It should suit you!"

The other customers were now staring at him. A group of college students were laughing and pointing at him. There was even a little snot-nosed kid looking at him with pity. How humiliating. Ruka, who was standing beside him, noticed the black clouds gathering over Natsume's head and quickly waved to Mikan, shouting. "It's okay, Sakura! We've chosen some clothes. Natsume will be going to the changing room now!"

Natsume groaned. Ruka didn't seem to be helping. It just made him look like a hopeless teen who couldn't handle making his own decisions in a clothing store.

Mikan was shouting at them again. "Okay, Ruka-pyon! Come here when he's done. I've found him a nice hat!" She was waving said hat in the air. It looked like a cowboy's hat and it was a mint green color. And it had a feather. Oh god.

"Ruka," Natsume said, his voice almost pleading. Ruka nodded sympathetically. He pushed Natsume into a dressing room, along with a few shirts and jeans.

"I'll try to convince her that that hat does not suit your skin tone," Ruka said. "Girls understand that kind of thing."

Nodding, Natsume pulled the curtain close behind him. He was rather annoyed. Was the girl doing that on purpose? Nah, she wasn't that smart. He turned to the pile of clothes on the chair and glared at them. This clothes shopping business was frustrating. Not to mention damaging to his reputation. But no one really knew who he was anyway…Or what he had been sent to do.

Shaking those awful thoughts from his head, he quickly changed into the new clothes. Ruka was quite good at this. Shopping for clothes. Was he gay? Nah, that was impossible. But if he just let his hair grow longer, and maybe add some makeup, Ruka could easily pass off as a girl.

Putting his idle thoughts aside, Natsume stepped out of the dressing room and saw Ruka waiting for him outside. He tapped on the boy's shoulder.

"Ah, Natsume," Ruka turned to face him. "Do the clothes fit?"

"Yeah." Natsume replied.

Ruka was eyeing him from head to toe. "Good, it suits you. Do you like it?"

Natsume shrugged. "I'm not even sure of what I'm wearing. Didn't look in the mirror."

Ruka smiled, shaking his head. "You haven't changed much you know." His face darkened. "How have you been? Why are you here?"

"Not here, Ruka." Natsume replied brusquely.

"No, Natsume." Ruka grabbed his arm. His eyes were full of concern. "You have to tell me. What's going on?"

When Natsume didn't say anything, Ruka tightened his hold on his arm and dragged him into an empty dressing room. He forced Natsume to sit on the chair and closed the curtain behind them, away from prying eyes.

"We're alone now. The girls have headed over to the female section and Koko went to buy ice-cream. We have all the time in the world." Ruka said, as firmly as he could.

Natsume sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. But you're going to hate me after this."

Ruka looked upset for a moment. "I could never hate you, Natsume. I may have not seen you for years but you've always been my best friend. I'll do anything to help you." his voice was now rising. "Stop suffering on your own. You know things can change. If you had just accepted my help at that time, you–"

"I told you before right?" Natsume growled. "I won't involve you in this. I saved your life once and you want to repay me by risking everything?"

"I'm not doing this to repay you for that time!" Ruka was now shouting. "I'm not your friend because I pity you. I'm not your friend because I owe you anything. Open your eyes, Natsume. I truly care for you! I want to help because I don't want you to get hurt. But you just refuse to take the risk and fight! You insist on suffering for everyone else's sake. But do you know something?" There were tears in Ruka's eyes. "Did you know your sister knows what you're doing? She knows everything, Natsume! And its killing her because you keep hurting yourself!"

Natsume's eyes were glazed with fury. "Ruka, you didn't–"

"Yes, I told her!" Ruka cried. His body was trembling and tears ran down his face. "I told her everything. She's still acting like she doesn't know. Because she knows it will hurt you if you know what she knew."

Natsume slammed a fist against the mirror. The glass shattered into tiny pieces. It was as fragile and broken as the two boys were.

"How could you tell her, Ruka?" Natsume whispered, the pain on his face evident. "I trusted you."

Ruka had calmed down slightly, but the tears were still there. "It was for your own good, Natsume. I needed to show you how you're hurting us even while you were protecting us. I know you care for us, but did you not think we love you too? Stop this, Natsume. Stop bearing all the burden on your own. We're all here for you. Please, Natsume. Don't hurt yourself anymore."

Natsume slumped to the floor, watching the blood drip for his wounded hand. It hurt a lot, but nowhere as much as his heart did. He took a shaky breath and spoke.

"Yesterday. I had just finished another one of those blasted missions yesterday. But I was messed up pretty badly so I didn't go home afterwards."

Ruka sat on the floor beside him, listening intently. He nodded, encouraging Natsume to continue.

"I was so tired after the mission. Somehow, I found myself in a park. So I hid myself in the playground. That's where she found me." Natsume closed his eyes, as if the present situation was too unbearable to look at.

"You're talking about Sakura right?" Ruka asked gently.

Natsume nodded. "The idiot insisted on taking me to her house. So I slept over last night. And," Natsume swallowed. "And at about four in the morning, Persona called me. He asked where I was, so I told him."

Ruka's eyes flashed with disgust at the mention of Persona's name. "What did he want?"

"I told him where I was," Natsume repeated. "And he began doing some research. He found out about her background and the people she associates with."

"Sakura?"

"Yeah. Then, he gave me a new mission. This time, my goal is…" Natsume trailed off.

"What is it? What did he ask you to do?" Ruka whispered. He didn't feel good about this. He somehow knew that whatever Natsume was about to say would surely put their friendship to the test. He clenched his jaw and waited. He could almost see it. The huge wave was rising. A disaster waiting to happen.

"My mission,"

The wave rose even higher.

"Is to..."

It came crashing down. It's shadow looming over them, promising a very sad twist of fate.

"Kill Hotaru Imai."

It swallowed everything. Washing away his tears. Tearing apart his sanity.

Drowning him.

…

Ruka 's head was spinning. His mind was clouded. He couldn't find his bearings. He could hear Natsume's words ringing in his head. Over and over again. But he couldn't process the meaning of those words. Kill? Kill Hotaru Imai? What…What? That's–

"Ruka!" Natsume was shaking his shoulders. "Ruka? Can you hear me?"

Ruka stared at Natsume with glazed eyes. He looked at Natsume's face. A face full of concern, but a mask of ignorance hid it. It was just like that time. The time Natsume had saved him. The first time they met...

Without realizing it, Ruka slipped into another time, another place. Into an old memory he held close to his heart. Where no one could intrude…ever.

That was where Ruka was right now. Reliving that day, that moment.

_Seven years ago..._

"_Lu-chan! Lu-chan, where are you?"_

_Ruka's ears perked up at the sound of his mother's voice. Giving the rabbit he held one last pet, he let the small animal jump out of his arms, into the bushes. He came out from behind the huge oak tree._

_"I'm here, mother." he said._

_His mother sighed. "Lu-chan, how many times have I told you? Do not wander around without your bodyguards."_

_"But mother," he protested. "This is our garden. How could I get hurt in our own home?"_

_"Anything can happen, Lu-chan. This is for your own good." his mother took his hand. "Let's go inside now."_

_Ruka's face fell. "But mother, I want to stay outside for awhile longer. Please?"_

_His mother frowned. "It's getting late, Lu-chan. I'll let you stay outside for another ten minutes, but I'm sending your bodyguards out to watch you."_

_Ruka nodded sadly. Couldn't his mother leave him to himself for even a second? Only when he was locked away in his house then she would. He knew she was just afraid for him. Afraid he would get kidnapped or something. That happened once in awhile and it made his mother fiercely protective of him. He longed to be free. He wanted to take risks, have fun. But as fate would have it, he couldn't. Not as long as his parents remained as rich as they were. And they only seemed to be getting wealthier by the day._

_Sighing, Ruka got on his hands and knees and crawled into the bushes, searching for his rabbit. He pushed the leafy branches aside and spotted his rabbit a few feet away. He was about to reach out and grab it when the animal slipped through the hedge, disappearing from sight. Ruka groaned. The land outside the hedge was not owned by his parents. He would't be safe there._

_He contemplated the idea of asking one of his bodyguards to help him retrieve it, but decided against that. No, he thought. Didn't I want to be free? If I just slip out for a second, it would be great. I'll show myself that I don't need to be locked away, to be protected. _

_So crawl through the hedge he did. Out of the safety of his home and into an entirely different place. Ruka took a deep breath. The air was fresh and cool, somehow different compared to the air he breathed behind the hedge. He felt something brush against his feet. Looking down, he saw his rabbit staring up at him with it's black eyes. He picked up the small creature and stroked it gently, as he watched the sun set beyond the horizon. It was beautiful._

_But his happiness was short-lived. Before Ruka even realized what was happening, and hand was clamped over his mouth. Another gripped his shoulder tightly. From behind him came a gruff voice._

_"Well what do we have here? A kid from the Nogi family?" It was a man's voice and his words sent a chill down Ruka's spine._

_Another man appeared from behind him, smoking on a cigarette and watching Ruka closely. He grinned widely, making him look like some insane madman. _

_"He'll fetch a hefty price, eh?" The man laughed, carelessly tossing his cigarette to the ground._

_Ruka struggled with all his might, but to no avail. He felt the cold, hard knife dig into his neck and froze. The two men laughed and Ruka was suddenly overcame with fear. But beneath that fear was a feeling ten times stronger. The feeling of disappointment. He wasn't safe. Here he was, right outside the hedge his family owned, but he couldn't enjoy a minute of freedom and peace. The only way he could ever live was behind the protection of his bodyguards, or shut up in his own house where no one could find him. He could never be free. He would forever be that weak child who was so vulnerable he couldn't do as he wished. Ruka had given up hope. His mother could protect him all she wanted, lock him in a cage and surround him with bodyguards. If that was how it was, he would accept it. But yet…_

_"Ow! Shit!" Cried the man who held the knife to Ruka's throat. He had dropped his knife and fallen to the ground. Before his accomplice could react, however, he was dealt a blow to the head. Ruka watched in awe as the young boy who delivered said injury straightened himself. He looked just like any kid his own age, except his face seemed to have a permanent scowl, and his eyes wiser and sadder than anyone his age. The boy launched himself at the two men as they struggled to their feet, cussing like there was no tomorrow. They managed to stand, but barely lasted a few seconds before the mysterious boy rendered them unconscious. The two men lay at Ruka's feet, passed out cold._

_"What idiots," the boy muttered, picking up the knife they had dropped. "Pulling a knife on a kid, disgusting."_

_"Um, I…" Ruka trailed off, not knowing what to say. The boy pocketed the knife and looked at him, his expression utterly bored as if taking down two crooks was no big deal._

_"What?" he asked._

_Ruka cleared his throat. "Um, thank you. Thanks for saving me."_

_The boy shrugged. "No problem. I can't stand such people anyway." He paused, as if considering something. "My name's Natsume."_

_"I–I'm Ruka. Nice to meet you." Ruka stuttered, feeling a bit flustered. He didn't often get the chance to talk to kids his own age._

_"Hn. You should be more careful next time."_

_Ruka nodded, feeling a little embarrassed. "Er, where do you live? To thank you, I can get my driver to send you home."_

_Natsume shook his head. "No need. I live right over there." He pointed to the huge mansion opposite Ruka's._

_Ruka's eyes widened in recognition. "Isn't that where the Hyuugas live? That really wealthy family?"_

_"Yeah. My last name is Hyuuga." Natsume said, his voice wary, as if waiting for Ruka to suck up to him because of who's son he was. Ruka knew that tone all too well, having used it himself on numerous occasions._

_"That's cool," he smiled. "I live here." He nodded to his house._

_"So you're Ruka Nogi?" Natsume asked. "My dad has been trying to get me to make friends with you. Of course, it's all so our families can get along and earn some mutual benefit." He said bitterly, rolling his eyes._

_Ruka smiled sadly. "I guess."_

_From behind the hedge, voices could be heard. Ruka turned around to find one of his bodyguards crawling through the hedge, pointing at him._

_"I found him,' the man said. "He's right outside the hedge!"_

_The sound of shuffling footsteps could be heard, and before Ruka could blink, his mother had enveloped him in her arms. _

_"Oh, Lu-chan, where did you run off to? You know you're not supposed to be wandering outside on your own."His mother's tone was relieved, and Ruka felt a little guilty for what he did._

_"Sorry, mama. I was trying to find my rabbit."Ruka suddenly remembered Natsume was there. Blushing slightly, he wriggled out of his mother's grasp and gestured to Natsume._

_"Mama, this is Natsume. He saved me from some kidnappers." Natsume gave her a small nod. But Ruka's mother barely noticed it._

_"Lu-chan! You were attacked by kidnappers?" she gasped, horrified. _

_"It's alright, Natsume saved me. They couldn't even scratch him. I'm fine, really." Ruka quickly told her._

_His mother sighed. She looked at Natsume gratefully. "Thank you so much for helping Lu-chan. You're name's Natsume right? Would you like a ride home?"_

_Ruka raised a hand. "Mama, Natsume doesn't need a ride, he lives–"_

_Before he could finish, however, Natsume cut in. "It's alright," he said, shooting Ruka a meaningful glance. "I can walk. My home's not far. I'll be going now."_

_"Oh, alright," Ruka nodded. "Good-bye, Natsume."_

_Natsume didn't say a word, but as he walked pass Ruka, he whispered, "See you, Lu-chan."_

_Ruka blushed a thousand shades of red as Natsume walked away, nodding respectfully at his mother as he went._

_"He seems like a nice boy." Ruka's mother remarked._

_Ruka watched as Natsume's figure faded into the distance. He felt happy, for some reason. I hope I meet you again, Natsume, he thought, a smile creeping onto his face._

…

Ruka felt himself drift back to reality, and for a moment, he felt sad. Sad that he was no longer drifting in that pleasant memory. The sudden loss nearly sent tears running down his cheeks, but the face before him, so full of concern, was enough to banish away those tears and bring a smile to his face.

"Natsume." he muttered.

"Ruka? Are you alright?" the boy asked. "You spaced out for awhile."

Ruka nodded, dragging himself to his feet. "Sorry," he said. "I–I just…"

A pained look crossed Natsume's face. He turned away from Ruka, jamming his hands into his pockets. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "I'm sorry. You must have been shocked."

Ruka was almost going to ask what he meant but it suddenly hit him, as hard as a blow to the stomach. Natsume. He...Persona had sent him to–to kill Hotaru Imai! He felt goosebumps crawling up his skin, but his face held no fear nor hatred for his friend as he grabbed Natsume's shoulder.

The reassuring smile on Ruka's face told Natsume everything Ruka wanted to say. That simple gesture lay no blame, no disgust, no waver in the trust Ruka had placed in him for so long.

"Thank you, Ruka." Natsume whispered. He knew what Ruka was thinking. He knew he could no longer back down. That smile was enough to give him the courage he needed.

"I trust you, Natsume." Ruka smiled. "I know you won't hurt her. It's time to fight back, don't you think?"

"But, what about Aoi? If I fail…" Natsume trailed off.

"It's alright," Ruka said, taking Natsume's hand in his. "I will help you. I will stand by your side till the end. I won't let any harm come to Aoi, or you."

Natsume closed his eyes, nodding slowly. "Yeah," he murmured. "Yeah."

It was a huge gamble they were about to take, a matter between life and death. But Natsume would not run any longer. He didn't want to cowardly bow down to that man's wishes. His hands were tainted enough by the blood of innocent people. He would fight against him. He would not let that man cast a shadow over him anymore, or let him hold his precious sister against him. He had Ruka. And Ruka was not going to back down either.

Just you wait…

Persona...

…

"So," Koko grinned. "What were you and Natsume doing in the dressing rooms?"

Ruka scowled at the boy and brushed him off. He couldn't say exactly what he and Natsume were discussing, but any other excuse wouldn't do. "It's none of your business, Koko."

Koko's grin widened. He turned to Mikan. "Hey, guess what?" he whispered to her. "Natsume and Ruka are gay."

Mikan gasped in shock, pointing a finger at Natsume. "You–you're gay? Natsume!"

"What the hell gave you that idea?" Natsume frowned.

"Ah, you see," Koko slung an arm around Natsume. "You and Ruka were in the dressing rooms. Together. I'd say that's pretty darn suspicious."

Poor Koko now lay sprawled on the floor, courtesy of Natsume's fist.

"I wish I could have got a picture of that," Hotaru mumbled wistfully. "It would have sold for a lot of money. A lot."

Mikan grimaced and linked her arm with Hotaru's. "But, Natsume and Ruka-pyon? Gay? That's a bit…"

Sumire whacked Mikan on the head. "Of course their not gay. Two such beautiful boys…gay? That would be just too cruel to us women. All the beautiful guys together, in love, while we females end up with freaks like him?" She was now pointing at Koko.

Koko had got up from the floor and was now clutching his chest, as if in pain. "Aw, permy," he said, his tone mocking. "How could you be so mean? I am as beautiful as you even!"

For the second time that day, Koko's face was kissing the floor, by none other than Sumire Shouda. She was downright pissed, and was now shouting a him.

"Are you insulting me? How could you be as beautiful as I am? You might as well say I look like a dog!"

Mikan quickly grabbed Sumire's shoulders and steered her away from Koko. "Um, let's go to that bookshop over there for awhile, kay? You like books, don't you permy?"

"Books?" she screeched. "Since when have I liked them? You're making me sound like a nerd, Sakura! And don't freaking call me permy!"

As Mikan winced, not knowing how to calm down her very annoyed friend, Hotaru stepped forward. She held onto Sumire's elbow and dragged her towards the lifts. "I'll bring her for a manicure," she told Mikan. "You better ask Ruka to help Koko up, he's getting stepped on."

Mikan was frowning. "Why Ruka?"

Rolling her eyes, Hotaru replied, "Do you think Natsume is kind enough to assist the boy who called him gay? No. And tell Ruka to buy me some cake and bring it to the nail salon. I'm getting hungry."

Mikan had to ask. "What if Ruka-pyon doesn't want to?" And what am I going to do with Natsume?"

Hotaru had a very evil smile on her face. It radiated coldness and even a bit of killer intent. "If he dares defy my wishes, tell him he might as well jump off a cliff. I can guarantee that my torture would by a thousand times worse." Mikan shivered. "As for Natsume, take him to the book store like you wanted to. Whatever. Just make sure I get my cake or you'll be tortured alongside Ruka."

With that, Hotaru pulled a still screeching Sumire into the lift lobby, leaving Mikan by herself. Deciding that she didn't want to die just yet, she hurriedly relayed Hotaru's message to Ruka, who turned white and immediately peeled a squashed Koko from the floor, dragging the poor boy off to the bakery. Mikan was left with Natsume, who was looking extra grumpy. Must have been the gay comments. Nervously, Mikan approached the sullen boy and asked if he wanted to go to the book shop. Natsume merely grunted and headed for the book store, with Mikan trailing behind him.

The two wandered into the book shop, getting lost between the shelves. Natsume finally stopped in front of the manga section. He picked a manga book off the shelf and sat down in the corner, silently reading. Curious, Mikan walked over to where he sat and peered over his shoulder. Her pretty features morphed into a scowl when she saw what he was reading. A perverted manga.

"You shouldn't read those things." Mikan mumbled.

Natsume flipped to the next page. The images were even more ghastly than before.

"Natsume," she whined. "Don't you think you're too young to be reading this kind of thing?"

Flip.

"Ugh," Mikan grimaced. "That's disgusting. How can you read this stuff?"

Flip.

"Hey, are you listening to me?"

Flip.

Mikan groaned. He was obviously not listening to her, but she just continued talking like an idiot. Deciding to make her presence known, she grabbed the book out of Natsume's grasp. The boy was now glaring at her but she held it out of his reach. Mikan squealed nervously as Natsume stood up and began advancing towards her. She quickly ducked out of his sight, crouching behind a bookshelf. She listened carefully as the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance. Sighing with relief, Mikan decided to dash out of the store before he could find her.

Unfortunately, she had no idea where the entrance was. The store was humungous and the bookshelves made it seem like a maze. Mikan walked around for awhile before bumping into the wall. She was at the back of the store. Sighing, she turned to the shelf and stood on her toes, deciding to slot the manga in between the encyclopedias.

As she tried to search for an empty space for the book, Mikan felt an arm slip around her waist. The arm tightened and a hand caressed her hip. She was about to scream brutal murder when she felt something wet brush against her earlobe. Her scream died in her throat and she shivered. The wet thing, which she realized was a tongue was now licking her neck. Mikan whimpered, feeling scared. A hand came up and stroked her cheek gently, as if reassuring her.

"Shh…" she heard a very familiar voice whisper behind her. Her fear immediately changed into annoyance. She twisted around to face the mysterious person, flicking his forehead with a finger when her eyes locked on his.

"Natsume? What are you doing?" Mikan asked, feeling both irritated and nervous at the same time.

Natsume didn't reply, his hand adjusted itself, continuing to caress her face. His fingers brushed over her cheeks like feathers, stroking her eyelids, tracing her lips. Mikan wanted to push him away and give him a big smack on the head but she couldn't move. His eyes were locked onto hers and she could feel herself drowning in them, they were so beautiful. In fact, they were so hypnotizing, Mikan didn't barely felt it when Natsume pressed his lips to hers.

It was only when Natsume closed his eyes, hiding away those gorgeous rubies, that Mikan realized it. Natsume was kissing her. Mikan felt a strange feeling surge through her. It tugged at her heart, making her feel weak and dizzy. A thousand fireworks of pleasure erupted inside her, the kiss so addicting and gentle. It was like a drug, encouraging her to close her eyes and relish it. She did. As she was enveloped in darkness, the only thing she could feel was Natsume's lips. They pressed against hers, his tongue teasing her lips, demanding more.

Mikan felt herself drown, melting away in his embrace. Her jaw relaxed and she felt him slip his tongue into her mouth, gently stroking hers. She moaned softly, feeling a sense of euphoria overcome her. And then, it was gone.

Mikan slowly opened her eyes, only to be greeted by his. Natsume placed a light kiss on her cheek before drawing back. He stepped back a tiny smirk on his face. He raised his hand, and walked away. The manga book in his hand was waving back and forth.

Just like a victory flag.

…

**There! Behold, a work of art! Though I think I took it too far with the drama and emotions. And I think I made it a little confusing. Not a work of art then, I guess. I'll try to clear up Natsume's past as soon as possible. **

**To tell you the truth, I started this chapter about five days ago…then I got distracted… So sorry to have kept you all waiting!**

**Anyway, do tell me what you think of this chapter. And please, if you have any ideas on how to continue this story, do share. I'm a bit stumped at the moment.**

**Thanks for reading this~**

**MySilentVoice**


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